Mauritius - Republic of Mauritius - Country Profile Info ___ Mauritius A virtual travel guide to Mauritius, an archipelago in Southern Africa in the Indian Ocean. The main island Mauritius is about 880 km (550 mi) east of Madagascar . The island nation includes Mauritius, the island Rodrigues, 600 km (373 mi) further east, the islands of Agalega, 1065 km (660 mi) to the north, and the archipelago Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon), 400 km away. The islands of Mauritius, Rodrigues, and nearby Réunion (170 km (110 mi) southwest) form part of the Mascarene Islands. The combined area of 2,040 km² of the country is about one fifth smaller than Luxembourg or about half the size of the US state of Rhode Island . The capital and largest city is Port Louis . This page aims to give you a broad overview of Mauritian art, culture, people, environment, geography, history, economy and government. and more like weather information, maps, statistics and local newspapers from Mauritius.

Aerial View of Le Morne Brabant, the peninsula at the south-western tip of Mauritius. Country Calling Code : +230 Capital City: Port Louis (pop. 148 000) Other Cities: Beau Bassin and Rose Hill (105 000), Vacoas-Phoenix (100 000), Curepipe (80 000), Quatre Bornes (80 000). Government: Independence: 12 March 1968 ( from UK, Mauritius became a republic in 1992). Constitution: 12 March 1968. Location: East South Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, 500 miles east of Madagascar. Area : 2,040 km² (770 sq. mi.) Dependencies: Rodrigues Island, the Agalega Islands and Cargados Carajos Shoals; Mauritius also claims sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago, part of the British Indian Ocean Territory, where the U.S. Naval Support Facility at Diego Garcia is located.

Terrain: A volcanic island with a central plateau rimmed by mountains, the island is surrounded by coral reefs. Climate: Tropical; cyclone season mid-December-April. People: Ethnic groups: Indo-Mauritians 68%, Creoles 27%, Sino-Mauritians 3%, Franco-Mauritians 2%. Religions: Hindu 48%, Christian 32%, Muslim. Languages : French, English (official), Creole (common), Hindi, Urdu, Hakka, Bhojpuri. Literacy: 85-90% Natural resources: Arable land, fish. Agriculture products: Sugar, sugar derivatives, tea, tobacco, vegetables, fruits, flowers and fishing. Industries: Labor-intensive goods for export, including textiles and clothing, watches and clocks, jewelry, optical goods, toys and games, and cut flowers; tourism.

Exports - commodities: clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses, fish, primates (for research) Exports partners: UK 19.3%, France 16.4%, USA 9.9%, South Africa 9.8%, Spain 7.5%, Italy 6.9%, Madagascar 6.8% (2012) Imports partners: India 23.1%, China 16%, France 8.5%, South Africa 6.5% (2012) Currency: Mauritian Rupee (MUR) Background: Discovered by the Portuguese in 1505, Mauritius was subsequently held by the Dutch, French, and British before independence was attained in 1968. Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has developed from a low-income, agriculturally based economy to a middle-income diversified economy with growing industrial, financial, and tourist sectors. The country has attracted more than 32,000 offshore entities, many aimed at commerce in India , South Africa , and China , and it has earned one of Africa's highest per capita incomes.

Mauritius has a stable democracy with regular free elections and a positive human rights record. Mauritius Map / Geography of Mauritius / Map of Mauritius - Worldatlas.com Print this map Although known to Arab and Malay sailors as early as the 10th century, Mauritius was first explored by the Portuguese in 1505. In 1638 the Dutch arrived and began colonizing the island, appointing governors and setting up trade connections. However, hardships quickly fell on the Dutch colony in the form of pest infestations, cyclones, droughts, and lack of food. Less than a hundred years after settlement the Dutch deserted the colonies. Not long after the Dutch abandoned Mauritius, the French arrived and constructed a naval base and shipbuilding center they called Port Louis. The French lost the island amidst the Napoleonic wars as Britain successfully overpowered the base in 1810. Under British ruling Robert Townsend Farquhar was governor, and initiated rapid social and economical changes - the most important being the abolishment of slavery in 1835. In 1936, following conflicts between the Indian community and Franco-Mauritians, the Mauritius Labor Party was founded.

This coalition became a catalyst in the push for an independent nation, which was achieved in 1968. The government is elected every five years, with the most recent elections having taken place in December 2014, in the l'Alliance Lepep and elected Sir Anerood Jugnauth of the Militant Socialist Movement (MSM) as Prime Minister. The elections generally are held between two major parties. Since gaining their independence in 1968, Mauritius has developed into a diversified economy. Sugarcane is grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area and accounts for 25% of the nation's export. It has the seventh-highest GDP per capita in Africa . In 2009, according to the Ibrahim Index of African Governance, the Mauritius government was rated the highest among African countries for its participation and human rights and its sustainable economic opportunity. See Also Mauritius - List of African Countries List of African countries Questions to which this page has the answer to What is the population of Mauritius? What is the currency of Mauritius? What is the capital of Mauritius? What languages are spoken in Mauritius?

Notes Last updated 21 may 2009 Mauritius Gross domestic product per capita $ 13,703 In international affairs, Mauritius is part of the Indian Ocean Commission, the Southern African Development Community and the Commonwealth of Nations and La Francophonie (French speaking countries), amongst others. A more complete list can be found in the main Politics of Mauritius article [source] Mauritius only, as at 31 December 2007, it is 1,227,078 Mauritius (pronounced /məˈrɪʃəs/; French: L'île Maurice IPA: ; Mauritian Creole: Maurice), officially the Republic of Mauritius, French: République de Maurice, is an island nation off the coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about Mauritius Mauritius COUNTRY OVERVIEW LOCATION AND SIZE. Mauritius is an island in the Indian Ocean, located 2,400 kilometers (1,491 miles) off the southeast coast of Africa.

It has a total area of 1,860 square kilometers (781 square miles), and a coastline of 177 kilometers (110 miles). The Republic of Mauritius also includes the barely populated Agalega Islands and the Cargados Carajos Shoals, as well as Rodrigues (population 35,000). The capital, Port Louis, is situated on the west coast of the island, and has a population of approximately 136,000. POPULATION. The population of Mauritius was estimated to be 1,179,368 in July 2000, with a population growth rate at 0.89 percent. The population is relatively young, with 26 percent of the population under 14 years of age, 68 percent between 15 and 64, and just 6 percent over the age of 65. The life expectancy for the population is 70.98. Mauritian society is a heterogeneous one.

The 2 main population groups are the ethnic Indians, who make up 68 percent of the population, and the Creoles, mixed race descendants of African slaves and colonial settlers, who comprise 27 percent. Other groups include Chinese (3 percent) and white Franco-Mauritians (2 percent). The ethnic Indians are further divided into Hindus and Muslims, with the Hindus being the majority. Nevertheless, the inhabitants of the island tend to view themselves as Mauritians first and foremost. Given that Mauritius has such a small land surface, population growth and immigration are discouraged by the government. Population density is already very high, with 571 people per square kilometer (1,479 per square mile), compared with an average of 45 per square kilometer (117 per square mile) for the world as a whole. AGRICULTURE SUGAR. Sugarcane is still the dominant crop, extending over 90 percent of the cultivated land surface of the country. Twenty-five percent of export earnings come from sugar cane. Per annum sugar production amounts to approximately 630,000 tons.

Due to a bad drought, this figure shrunk to 580,000 tons in 1999. As a result the agricultural sector as a whole registered a growth rate of minus 25 percent during this year. The government stepped in to help assist sugar farmers badly hit by low harvest in 1999. It provided a grant of R5,000 per hectare to farmers who experienced losses due to drought and paid a premium for sugar purchase. Mauritius is prone to recurrent cyclonic weather, which can impact the sugarcane crop, and consequently economic growth. Other sources of export revenue in the agricultural sector include tea, coffee, and tobacco. Tea production and exports decreased dramatically over the period 1995-2000, however. The production of onions, potatoes, maize, poultry, cattle, fish, pulses, bananas, and venison occurs on a small scale, largely for local consumption. Government is also supporting the development of biotechnology and hydroponics. SERVICES TOURISM. Tourism is a big foreign exchange earner for Mauritius, which has marketed itself as an "exclusive" destination.

About 5 percent of GDP is derived from the tourism sector, and revenues currently amount to US$100 million per annum. Most visitors come from Europe— 66 percent of the market—with France and the UK providing 175,400 and 58,700 tourists, respectively. Africa's market share is 27 percent, with tourists coming mainly from South Africa and Reunion Island. About 17,111 people are employed in the tourism sector, 65 percent of these in the hotel industry. There are signs that growth in this sector is slowing: in 1999 the sector grew by just 6 percent, compared to double-digit figures prior to that. FINANCIAL SERVICES. Over the past few years, the financial services sector has really stepped up its role in the economy, partly due to government support of the industry. To stimulate the development of the financial sector, the government provides tax incentives for financial institutions under the Pioneer Financial Services Scheme. To date, the industry has grown by over 62 percent, and comprises 13 percent of GDP. The aim is to develop the sector as a major financial center of international repute.

Currently there are eleven offshore banks , which offer merchant banking, insurance, fund management, and securities services. Non-residents are the main customers of this sector, often U.S. companies with investments in India. A tax treaty between Mauritius and India creates tax advantages to companies with investments in India that channel their funds through Mauritius. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY. In early 2001, the government set out its National Information Technology Strategy Plan of establishing the information technology sector as a free trade zone with "digital parks." These parks will consist mainly of sophisticated telecommunications and IT infrastructure as well as enabling hassle-free access to the Internet. According to this plan, it is estimated that IT-penetration will increase to 50 percent and increase PC home ownership to 40 percent by 2005. The government still has to unveil its proposed package of financial incentives that will be offered in this regard. TRADE AGREEMENTS. Up to the year 2000, Mauritius's major exports, sugar and textiles, have benefitted substantially from preferential trade agreements under which exports from Mauritius face lower duties than those goods from other countries.

Most of Mauritius's sugar is now exported to the European Union (EU) under the Sugar Protocol of the Lomé Convention, which allows the country an export quota of 300,000 metric tons, at a price which is generally quite a lot higher than that paid on the world market. Mauritian textiles have also benefitted from preferential access to EU markets, and from the Multi-Fibre Agreement. However, the Lomé Convention expired in 2000, and the EU has decided to level access to its markets for developing countries, which will erode the preferential treatment received by former EU colonies such as Mauritius. The annual quota assigned to the African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) countries will now be reduced and it is expected that the price received for sugar exports will also fall. This move is expected to hit Mauritius hard, as it is among the top 3 sugar exporters to the EU. The Multi-Fibre Agreement is being phased out and will come to an end in 2005. The agreement works on a bilateral quota system designed both to protect clothing and textile manufacturers in developed countries and facilitate market access for developing countries.

The impact on Mauritius will depend on whether the developed countries continue to try to protect their textile industries. In any event, the termination of the Multi-Fibre Agreement (MFA) is expected to result in intensified global competition in the clothing and textiles industries. As mentioned above, Mauritian clothing and textile companies are already moving to cheaper production locations in order to enhance their competitiveness. The U.S.'s Africa Growth and Opportunities Act is expected to benefit the Mauritian clothing and textile industry, and may mitigate the impact of the phasing out of the MFA. In the 1970s, Mauritius followed a policy of import substitution, which involved protecting certain domestic industries from outside competition by keeping tariffs at high levels. This policy reduced the country's reliance on outside imports. However, following the global trend, Mauritius began to open up its markets for imports in the 1980s. Mauritius is a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), and is therefore committed to certain WTO agreements, designed to promote free trade among nations. Mauritius is a member of the Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the Indian Ocean Commission.

DEPENDENCIES Mauritius has no territories or colonies. BIBLIOGRAPHY Businessmap. SADC Investor Survey: Complex Terrain. Johannesburg, South Africa: Businessmap, 2000. Economist Intelligence Unit. Country Profile: Mauritius. London: Economist Intelligence Unit, 2001. International Labor Organization. World Labor Report. Geneva, Switzerland: ILO, 1997. Library of Congress. Mauritius: A Country Study. < . Accessed August 2001. Maurinet. "Mauritian History." < . Accessed August 2001. "Mauritius: Overview." Mbendi: Information for Africa. < . Accessed August 2001. Pochun, Jairaz. "Policies to Facilitate Trade and Investment inSouthern Africa." In International Monetary Fund/Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Regional Economic Integration and the Globalisation Process. Windhoek, Namibia: Gamsberg Macmillan, 1998. South African National Treasury. Regional Economic Review. Pretoria, South Africa: FISCU, 2000. U.S. Central Intelligence Agency.

World Factbook 2000. < . Accessed August 2001. U.S. Department of State. FY 1998 Country Commercial Guide: Mauritius. < . Accessed August 2001. World Bank. The World Bank Group Countries: Mauritius. < . Accessed August 2001. —Rosalind Mowatt Port Louis. MONETARY UNIT: Mauritian rupee (R). One Mauritian rupee equals 100 cents. There are coins of 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, and 50 cents and 1 rupee, and notes of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, and 1,000. CHIEF EXPORTS: Clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses. CHIEF IMPORTS: Manufactured goods, capital equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals. GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT: US$12.3 billion (purchasing power parity, 1999 est.).

BALANCE OF TRADE: Sep 11, 2011 @ 7:07 am mauritius is the best of best country of the world Veronique Oct 22, 2011 @ 12:12 pm Mauritius was originally a French colony and the everyday language on the island is french and french creole. Then France did a swop of island with England and Mauritius became an English colony. And in 1968 it became independent from England. The people of this island are very friendly. Akhilesh Nov 19, 2011 @ 8:08 am I am very happy to read about mauritus specialy indian which has own ancient culture religion it is a very beautyful country abheenesh Khadoo Feb 8, 2012 @ 9:09 am Mauritius in increasingly getting a higher income in all agricultural matters. With new technologies, Mauritius is moving ahead. So proud to be a Mauritian.

Mauritius — Mauritius Island | About Mauritius | Mauritius Attractions Discover Mauritius About Mauritius Mauritius, a tropical island paradise and arguably Africa's wealthiest destination, is one of the world's top luxury tourism destinations. It possesses a wide range of natural and man-made attractions, enjoys a tropical climate with clear warm sea waters, attractive beaches, tropical fauna and flora complemented by a multi-ethnic and cultural population that is friendly and welcoming. These tourism assets are its main strength, especially since they are backed up by well-designed and run hotels, reliable and operational services and infrastructures. Mauritius received the World Leading Island Destination award for the third time, as well as the World's Best Beach award, at the World Travel Awards in January 2012. (Source: Wikipedia) Hotels in Mauritius Belle Mare is located on the east coast of Mauritius, LUX * Le Morne is in the south west of the island, and LUX * Grand Gaube is in the north. Discover other hotels in Mauritius . What to do in Mauritius Mauritius offers a wealth of natural beauty and exciting activities for every traveller.

Visit the island's several unique natural features, including the 7-Coloured Earths of Chamarel, the Black River Gorges and two UNESCO World Heritage status monuments. For the sporty set, there are a number of world-class golf courses to enjoy, as well as a host of water sports such as deep-sea fishing, scuba diving, snorkelling and kite surfing to name a few. Go trekking through the lush forest, or explore the nearby villages and markets on bicycle. The island offers a rich colonial history to be explored with fascinating local culture and a variety of exotic and colourful religious festivals. Hundreds of shopping centres sell locally made textiles, jewellery, sugar and local preserves. Visit the nature reserves where you can spot some of the native endangered species, both in the ocean and inland. Every moment in Mauritius is an opportunity to discover something new.

Attractions in Mauritius Centre Equestre De Riambel , Divers' Ocean , The Crown Lodge, Curious Corner of Chamarel, Ile des Deux Cocos , Trou d'Argent Beach, CHAZAL ecotourisme , Les 7 Cascades , Ile Plate Beach, Nature Trails Mauritius , La Route du Thé, Le Morne Beach, Isle Aux Cerfs, La Vanille Crocodile Park, Casela Nature and Leisure Park , Black River Gorges National Park, Labourdonnais, un Château dans la Nature , Island Wings Mauritius , Spiagge alla Isola dei Cervi, Tamarin Bay, Pointe d'Esny, Ilot Gabriel Beach, Pamplemousses Botanical Garden, L’Aventure du sucre , La Vanille Réserve des Mascareignes, Parc François Leguat , Notre Dame Auxiliatrice, Ile aux Cerfs, Ganga Talao, La Cuvette Beach, Blue Bay Beach, Port Louis Race track, Ocean Spirit Diving Centre, Pereybere Beach, Club Osmosis, Le Jardin de Pamplemousses, Grand Bassin, The Forbach Stables, T

amarin Falls, The Martello Tower Museum, Ile Cocos, Chamarel Coloured Earth, Chamarel Waterfall, Maison Eureka , Gris Gris Beach, Domaine des 7 Vallées , Blue Bay Marine Park Mauritius, Le Morne Brabant, Champs de Mars, Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolan Botanic Garden, Blue Penny Museum, Tamil Surya Oudaya Sangam Temple, Ile aux Aigrettes Nature Reserve , Pointe Bernache, La Vallee des Couleurs, Il Tempio di Grand Bassain, Diverland Mauritius, Kite for Fun, Rissers Beach, Le Pouce, La Vallée de Ferney , Trou aux Cerfs, Rochester Falls, Haras Du Morne , Citadel Fort Adelaide, Government House, Giardino Botanico, Pieter Both Mountain, Mauritius Aquarium , Le Souffleur, Seven Coloured Earth, Le Domaine de Lagrave , The Photographic Museum, Pont Naturel, Caudan Waterfront , Natural History Museum , Jardin des 5 Sens, Albion Lighthouse, Saveurs Et Rivages, National History Museum, Club Hippique de Maurice, China Town, temple de Trio

let, Eureka House, Popeye Ile Maurice , Domaine Les Pailles, Orca dive centre Merville Beach, Maheshwarnath Tempel, Aapravasi Ghat , Domain du Chasseur Game Park and Reserve, Rivulet Terre Rouge Estuary Bird Sanctuary, Colorful Sands, KiteGlobing Kite & More Ltd ., Balaclava Public Beach, Curepipe Botanical Garden, Taxi Mauritius - Private Tour Geography of Mauritius Located just off the southeast coast of Africa, some 900km east of Madagascar, is the island nation of Mauritius.

Surrounded by the warm Indian Ocean, the island is 2040km2 in size and forms part of the Mascarene Islands, with La Réunion to the southwest and Rodrigues to the northeast. As a Republic, it also includes the islands of Cargados Carajos, Rodrigues and the Agalega Islands, while its capital is the city of Port Louis. Climate in Mauritius Mauritius enjoys a mild tropical climate all year round. The winter months are typically warm and dry from May to November, while summer is hot and quite humid from December to April. Coastal temperatures: 22°C in winter to 34°C in summer. Sea temperature: 22°C to 27°C. Languages in Mauritius Mauritian Creole, French and English are mostly spoken on the island. While English is the only official language, the lingua franca is Mauritian Creole and the newspapers and television programmes are usually in French. Rodriguan Creole is a minority language and is spoken in certain parts of the country only. Culture in Mauritius The island is a melting pot of cultures with Indian, African, Chinese and French citizens adding to its unique diversity.

As a former French and then British colony, the island also shows strong European influences. Money/Currency in Mauritius The local currency is the Mauritian Rupee (MUR) which is divided into 100 cents. Credit cards are accepted by most businesses. Driving in Mauritius The island has a network of well maintained roads, with a main dual-carriage way going across the island from the airport in the south through the capital city of Port Louis in the west and further towards the popular north coast. Multi-coloured buses and taxis are a safe and popular way to get around the island, while cars can also be hired. Direct Flights to/from Mauritius Air Mauritius is the national carrier for the island. It operates a network of routes to the local islands and international destinations in Africa, Australia, Europe and Asia, with daily or weekly flights to most major cities in these destinations. Port Louis, Mauritius' capital city, Indian Ocean Work and Volunteering in Africa - Finding a Job in Africa Updated February 16, 2016. Port Louis - bustling port, market town, horse racing capital, former home to the Dodo, and much more... see below for info.

Basic Facts About Port Louis Port Louis is the capital city of Mauritius , an island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar . Around 150,000 people live in the capital, a bustling port on the north-west coast of the island. Port Louis is one of Africa's busiest commercial ports, it's also a popular landing spot for cruise ships. It has a rich history, the harbor was in use by traders as early as the 1630's. The French made it the administrative capital as early as 1735 and used it as a provisions center for their ships sailing around the stormy Cape of Good Hope. Port Louis was named after the French King Louis the XV (1710-1774). Port Louis is truly a microcosm of the world today. It's population is total melting pot of cultures, languages, traditions and religions. The grandest architecture reflects its early colonial history which is now battling for sea views with sky-scrapers. The modern concept of a "waterfront mall" is alive and well in the form of Le Caudan. But the heart and soul of the place can be found in its bazaars (markets).

This is where housewives and restaurant owners mingle in the early hours of the morning to buy their fresh produce for the day. Traffic is chaotic in the small capital, but you can easily escape the fumes and head into the Port Louis Moka Range that surrounds the port, or one of the numerous beaches ... What to See in Port Louis Port Louis has many attractions including: Champs de Mars - A great Saturday out watching the horses race and mingling with the locals. Natural History Museum - Featuring the Dodo! Central Market - From fish to key chains , Farquahar Street is still the shopping heart of the city. Caudan Waterfront - Restaurants, bars and duty-free shops. Where to Stay If you're spending a few nights in Port Louis, check out: Le Labourdonnais , Le Suffren , and Villa Jorico . Where to Eat Mauritian cuisine is absolutely delicious, especially if you like seafood and/or spicy, Indian cuisine. Try the snack food available at little stalls in the central market, Dhal Puris Stall is popular. For Chinese food, head to Chinatown and check out the First Restaurant . For views and international cuisine check out L'escale .

Sources and More Story of cities #48: Cybercity, Mauritius – a vision of Africa's 'smart' future? | Cities | The Guardian The story of cities Story of cities #48: Cybercity, Mauritius – a vision of Africa's 'smart' future? Ebène Cybercity was built 15 years ago to create a modern working environment for Mauritians and bring a hi-tech hub to this island nation. So does it offer a roadmap for Africa - or a warning of problems ahead? Ebène Cybercity is Mauritius’s hi-tech hub, and home to Africa’s internet registry platform. Photograph: Christopher Schuetze for the Guardian Cities is supported by Christopher F Schuetze in Port Louis Monday 23 May 2016 05.36 EDT Last modified on Wednesday 1 June 2016 05.18 EDT Share on Messenger Close As the fruit bat flies, it’s only 300 metres from Cyber Tower 1 to the massive food court and commercial centre that was built to service Ebène Cybercity – the hi-tech office community on the outskirts of Mauritius’s capital, Port Louis.

But walking from the ostentatious lobby of Cyber Tower 1 to the shops and restaurants can take 20 minutes – if you don’t get lost along the way. The fastest route by foot bisects car parks, traverses overgrown vacant lots, and stumbles over temporary walkways past some of the biggest businesses on the island. Both an urban planning disaster and – for many proud Mauritians – the very definition of modern office life, Cybercity was first proposed by the government in 2001 as a high-tech hub, and now houses almost 25,000 mostly educated, middle-class workers during the week. While the development can be criticised for a shocking lack cohesiveness, poor public transport, limited parking or even difficult access by foot, its creation did bring many aspects of modern connected life to Mauritian workers. “It’s far from perfect, but it’s better than we had before,” says Ross Macbeth, a Scottish-trained architect based in Mauritius . Like other local observers, Macbeth says that despite its many design flaws, the project did what it set out to do: create a modern working environment in the African island state, while ameliorating traffic conditions in the capital, Port Louis.

Built on sugar cane fields roughly 15km to the south along the M1 (one of two modern highways that bisect the country) and completely disconnected from the surrounding urban fabric, Cybercity was promoted as a leap into the future for Mauritius. Pinterest The interior courtyard of Cyber Tower 1, the city’s showpiece. Photograph: Christopher Schuetze Despite its many flaws, the 64-hectare campus boasts high-speed internet – which just a half a decade ago was a rarity in the country – backup electricity generators to bridge frequent power cuts, and networking systems to guarantee that big businesses can stay online constantly. Despite the island’s geographic distance from mainland Africa, the hub is so well connected that it hosts the African Network Information Center , the internet registry platform for the entire continent. “It’s actually a whole ecosystem of facilities: intelligent buildings, air conditioning and electric backup,” says Koomaren Chetty, CEO of Business Parks of Mauritius (BPML), the company founded by the government to create and run Cybercity.

[Smart cities] create exclusive urban cities far away from the dust, chaos and inequality of the existing cityscape Bertrand Moingeon The initial phase of the project in 2001 – the building of the 12-storey Cyber Tower 1 – was designed, engineered and built by Indian companies , with financing for the project covered by loans guaranteed by the Indian government, in what Chetty calls a “turn key” construction. But when BPML commissioned a second building a few years later, they used local architects and construction companies – heralded at the time as an example of the Mauritians’ ability to learn quickly from foreigners. Now in its second decade, Cybercity highlights an important difference in planned urban growth between developed and developing countries. As the world’s cities grow and intelligent urban design becomes a global discipline, a vision of this tiny African island’s future demonstrates that the concept of a smart city is far from standardised. Pinterest Ebène Cybercity was built entirely from scratch on sugar cane fields.

Photograph: Christopher Schuetze for the Guardian “In Europe when we talk about smart cities, we think of revitalisation of existing cities,” says Bertrand Moingeon, a professor at HEC in Paris who studies urban development in Mauritius. “But in many places in Africa, including Mauritius, so-called smart city developments actually do the opposite: they create exclusive urban cities far away from the dust, chaos and inequality of the existing cityscape,” Moingeon explains. “It goes against social inclusiveness.” Rashiq Fataar, an urbanist based in South Africa , agrees that many smart-city projects on the continent are based on the desire to start with a fresh slate. “The whole goal is to plan from scratch.

Especially for the private sector, it’s all about planning and controlling.” Fataar, who runs the Future Cities consultants , warns that in an African context these projects tend to benefit a small elite, rather than the population as a whole: “These visions are often contrary to what’s needed.” Moingeon agrees: “What we could wish for Africa is that they really develop the most recent model of smart cities,” he says, referring to the latest European and North American developments of the concept, which emphasise social and environmental improvements. For example, in Ijburg – a brand new part of Amsterdam built on reclaimed river land – daycare centres, university spaces, schools, civic spaces and high-end properties were deliberately built together with the aim of creating community spaces that would be shared by people of different social-economic backgrounds and ages. There is very little urban planning, in terms of amenities, parking and pedestrian areas Abbas Currimjee Given the size and ongoing growth of Cybercity (several new buildings are in the early phases of construction), keeping track of vacancy rates, which officials peg at somewhere between five and 15%, and overall gross floor area, which is given at roughly 200,000 sq metres, is difficult.

However, judging by the parcels of land left vacant at the centre of this city, not everything has gone according to plan. “It lacks an urban fabric – there is very little urban planning, in terms of amenities, parking and pedestrian areas,” says Abbas Currimjee, an architect and developer in Mauritius. To Currimjee, the problems plaguing this artificial city are less about the actual buildings and offices they contain, and more about the the project as a whole. Pinterest The modern office buildings are serviced by an outdated public transportation system. Photograph: Christopher Schuetze Indeed, despite the fact that most of the office buildings are at least 10 storeys tall, the overall density of the project appears lower than the single-story residential neighbourhoods that are common here on the island. Much like the cacophony of architectural styles on display, individual buildings vary in the degree of modernity and comfort – and some exude a kind of shabbiness associated with a humid climate, poor ventilation, badly functioning air conditioning and the overwhelming smell of food.

During even the lightest rain showers, the awning covering the exit of Cyber Tower 1 – arguably the showpiece of the project – funnels a steady gush of water on to the driveway leading up to the building with such ferocity that even cars avoid it. Pinterest Koomaren Chetty plans to create shared social spaces in Cybercity On those rainy days, the shortage of parking and difficulties accessing the crowded public transport come to the fore. Instead of the sleek transport hub promised in future iterations of the smart city here in Mauritius, decidedly old-fashioned, high-floored diesel buses careen from one one street-side bus stop to next, leaving the crowds of well-dressed office workers running for cover. Urban development has become a political hot potato on this island of almost 1.3 million inhabitants. Now in its second decade, Cybercity and the government’s involvement is coming under scrutiny as a new administration has announced the creation of several new smart city projects around the island – including the construction of Heritage City , a 115-hectare suburb that would house most of the nation’s government buildings as well as extensive housing for government workers.

The new government, in place since the end of 2014, has loudly rolled out the concept of smart cities , which it prescribes as a “cure all” for everything from a sagging construction sector to a means of attracting highly trained foreign workers and their capital. The label is currently associated with half a dozen (unbuilt) projects on the island, of which Heritage City is the only one the government is spending large sums of public cash on. “We don’t need to make new cities, we need to make our cities smarter,” says Aadil Ameer Meea, one of seven socialist MPs who form the official opposition after a recent election routed the ruling labour party. Meea, who represents a district in the capital, says that instead of putting money into new developments such as Heritage City, Port Louis itself needs to be refurbished and upgraded. Pinterest Though not officially part of Cybercity, the headquarters of the Mauritian Commercial Bank took its inspiration from the planned community While much political discussion is focused on where Mauritius would get money for the new, ambitious project – the government is proposing covering a good part of the projected £563 million construction costs by taking a loan from Saudi Arabia – observers warn of the lessons learned from Cybercity.

“Of course we are inspired by what has been done elsewhere – we are not inventing the wheel,” says Gaetan Siew, who chairs a technical committee that certifies these smart-city projects, bestowing them with hefty tax breaks and other incentives. While the other projects are less ambitious in scope than Heritage City and Cybercity, and are privately funded, they all are decentralised enclaves that focus on a “live, work, play” concept, green electricity and services. According to Siew, just as Heritage City is centred around government, other smart city projects are meant to be linked to other themes, creating liveable “knowledge hubs”. “Density is linked to sustainability,” he adds. Back in his office in Cybercity, Chetty acknowledges the development’s shortcomings and explains he has a plan in place – under the title “Smart Community” – to bring stakeholders together to pay for the creation of community spaces that would allow the various buildings’ denizens to meet, socialise and form an actual community. Story of cities #43: how Dubai's World Trade Centre sold the city to the world Read more But Meea points out that market demand seems largely missing from the plan to redevelop the island.

Unlike most African countries, Mauritius’s population remains steady. There are roughly 10,000 marriages a year in this tiny country, hinting that barring a massive influx of foreigners, demand for new neighbourhoods will be limited. As commuters still get stuck in morning traffic on the way to the shabby but functional capital, they have plenty of time to ponder the lessons of the island’s landscape. To the right stands an empty sugar field, which if all goes to plan, will soon be the modern, convenient and efficient Heritage City. To the left stands Cybercity, reminding them that buildings do not always make communities, and that urban developments cannot create work for everyone. Does your city have a little-known story that made a major impact on its development? Please share it in the comments below or on Twitter using #storyofcities

Question: What is the capital of the island nation of Mauritius?
Answer: PORT LOUIS